Shotgun firing mechanism with thumboperated cocking piece



Sept. 3, 1963 K. H. HARDFALK 3,102,354

SHOTGUN FIRING MECHANISM WITH THUMB-OPERATED cocxms PIECE Filed Feb. 14,1961 Fig. 1

IN V EN TOR.

United fitates Patent 3 1192,35 1 SHGTGUN FIRENG MEQHANESM Vi/1TH THUMB-QPERATEZ CGCKEIIG PliEtIE Kias Harding Hardfalk, Anasvagen 21, Goteborg,Sweden Filed Feb. 14-, 1961, Ser. No. 89,232 4 (Jlaims. (Cl. 42-41) Mostmodern shotguns are of two main types In one of these types there are onthe upper side of the gun pivotally arranged hammers with unprotectedfiring pins and the other type has enclosed hammers which areautomatically cocked when the weapon is loaded When the ham.- mers arecocked, a slide bolt locks the triggers but not the hammers.Regretfully, accidental firing often occurs with both these types ofweapons. In the first mentioned type, which is the oldest one, it mighthappen that when the hunter carries the weapon through bushy vegetationone :of the hammers catches a twig in such a way that the hammer ispartly lifted so that when the pressure from the twig ceases, the hammerfalls against the firing pin and a shot is fired. Shotguns of thehammerless type may be accidentally discharged by a shock against thebutt end which swings the hammers backwards to fall against the firingpin which causes an unintentional firing.

The present invention has for its main purpose to overcome thesedrawbacks and to provide for a weapon which is very safe in its functionand in which any risk of any accidental firing is practicallyeliminated. More specifically, the invention relates to shotgun locks ofthe hammerless type. The main feature of the invention is that thehammer with its upper portion is journalled about a horizontal shafttogether with a cocking piece, which can be reached by the thumb on onehand, to cock the hammer.

My invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying,partly diagrammatic, drawing. In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 shows a longitudinal section through the casing of the gun withthe hammer in an uncocked position, and

FIGURE 2 shows a similar section but with the hammer in a cockedposition.

In the casing 1 of the gun, a guiding sleeve 2 movably carries a firingpin 3 having its front end directed obliquely upwards towards the rearend of the cartridge casing 4 in the gun. A hammer 6 is journal led withits upper portion about a horizontal shaft 5. Behind the rear end of thefiring pin 3. A cocking piece 8 is with its lower portion 7 journalledabout the same shaft 5. Said cocking piece 8 extends with its upperportion above the casing 1, said upper portion'being shaped as a thumbhold 9. In front of the shaft 5, the hammer 6 is at its upper portionprovided with anabutment surface 1b facing a corre sponding abutmentsurface 11 on the lower part of the cocking piece 8 in front of theshaft 5. The hammer 6 is shaped like a sector and is at its periphery 12provided with two locking abutrnents, a frontal one 13 and a rear one14. A sear 18 abuts with its rear end 16 against the periphery 12 of thehammer by the action of a spring 15. The scar 18 is journalled about ahorizontal bolt 17 and a trigger 21, journalled about another horizontalbolt 26 can be swung against the front end 19 of the sear 18. The mainspring 22 of the gun is inserted between a stop abutment 23 for thecocking piece 3 and the hammer 6 in such a way that it tends to rotatethehammer 6 in a clock wise direction. However, the sear 13 preventssuch a swinging movement by an engagement of the sear end 16 in front ofeither of the locking iabutments 13, 14. A spring 25 is inserted betweenthe hammer 6 and the cocking piece 8 in a space 24 between these twoportions behind the carrying shaft 5. The spring 25 continuously keepsthe driving surface 11 on the cocking piece .8 in abutment against thecorresponding surface 10 on the 3,1d2354 l atenterl Sept. 3, 1%63 "icehammer-6. Further, the spring 25 also serves as a buffer for preventingthe cocking piece 3 from striking hard against the abutment 23.

It is clear from the above description with reference to the drawingthat even when the cartridge 26 is inserted in the breech 4 there is norisk of any accidental firing when the mechanism is in the positionshown in FIG. 1. The end 16 of the sear prevents the hammer 6 fromswinging against the firing pin 3. The hammer 6 is retained in theposition shown in FIG. 1 by the main spring 22. Only when the cockingpiece 8 has been swung in a counter-clockwise direction into the casing1, the hammer 6, against the action of the main spring 22, is brought toits rear, tensioned position in which the sear end 16 by the action ofthe spring 15 snaps in in front of the lockingabntment 13. When thetrigger 21 thereupon is pulled, the sear 18 is swung in a clockwisedirection so that the sear end 16 releases the hammer 6 which is swungby main spring 22 hard against the firing pin 3 to fire the shot. Uponstriking against the firing pin 3, the hammer 6 bounces somewhat to therear and is engaged by the sear end 16 which snaps in in front of thelocking abutment 14 whereby the hammer 6 again is effectively locked inthe same manner as has been described.

The present invention has been described in detail.

the top part of said cocking piece being reached by the thumb of aperson, a main spring urging said hammer forward towards said firingpin, a scar, a sear spring urging said sear against said hammer toengage a locking abutment of said hammer, and trigger means disengagingsaid sear from said hammer, said cocking piece on being pivoted forwardby a thumb engaging said hammer and rotating said hammer rearwardlyagainst said main spring until said sear engages said'front lockingabutment and holds said hammer in a cocked position, said trigger meansdisengaging said sear and allowing said main spring to force said hammerforward to strike said firing pin, said hammer rebounding and said searengaging said rear locking abutment of said hammer.

2. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said hammer and saidcocking piece have abutting surfaces disposed in front of saidhorizontal shaft, the forward motion of said cocking piece causing said.abutting surface of said cocking piece to urge said abutting surface ofsaid hammer about said shaft cocking said hammer.

3. The combination according to claim 2 with the addition of a cockingpiece spring extending between said cocking piece and said hammer behindsaid shaft and.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS243,223 Davenport June 21, 1881

1. IN A SHOTGUN LOCK OF THE HAMMERLESS TYPE, A FIRING PIN, A HORIZONTALSHAFT DISPOSED ABOVE THE REAR END OF SAID FIRING PIN, A HAMMER JOURNALEDABOUT SAID SHAFT TO STRIKE THE REAR END OF SAID FIRING PIN, SAID HAMMERHAVING A FRONT AND A REAR LOCKING ABUTMENT, A COCKING PIECE JOURNALEDABOUT SAID SHAFT AND EXTENDING ABOVE SAID SHAFT, THE TOP PART OF SAIDCOCKING PIECE BEING REACHED BY THE THUMB OF A PERSON, A MAIN SPRINGURGING SAID HAMMER FORWARD TOWARDS SAID FIRING PIN, A SEAR, A SEARSPRING URGING SAID SEAR AGAINST SAID HAMMER TO ENGAGE A LOCKING ABUTMENTOF SAID HAMMER, AND TRIGGER MEANS DISENGAGING SAID SEAR FROM SAIDHAMMER, SAID COCKING PIECE ON BEING PIVOTED FORWARD BY A THUMB ENGAGINGSAID HAMMER AND ROTATING SAID HAMMER REARWARDLY AGAINST SAID MAIN SPRINGUNTIL SAID SEAR ENGAGES SAID FRONT LOCKING ABUTMENT AND HOLDS SAIDHAMMER IN A COCKED POSITION, SAID TRIGGER MEANS DISENGAGING SAID SEARAND ALLOWING SAID MAIN SPRING TO FORCE SAID HAMMER FORWARD TO STRIKESAID FIRING PIN, SAID HAMMER REBOUNDING AND SAID SEAR ENGAGING SAID REARLOCKING ABUTMENT OF SAID HAMMER.